Kericho County had an estimated 18,179 people living with HIV as of September 2026, with 16,009 receiving care, underscoring the need to strengthen prevention, testing, treatment and support services.

According to the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council’s, South Rift Region Coordinator, Nickson Chepkwony, 110,142 people underwent HIV testing between July 2025 and June 2026, with 1,460 testing positive.

The figures indicate that approximately 88 per cent of people living with HIV were receiving care, while 2,170 were not accessing care.

The statistics were presented during a review meeting of the County Multisectoral Coordinating Committee (CMCC) in Kericho town, which brought together stakeholders to assess progress and strengthen efforts to address HIV, tuberculosis (TB), teenage pregnancies and Gender-Based Violence (GBV), collectively known as the Triple Threats.

During the meeting, it was revealed that health facilities in the county recorded 4,455 adolescent pregnancies during first antenatal care visits between July 2025 and June 2026, highlighting continued concerns about the challenges facing adolescents and young people.

The Committee identified low TB case notification, limited uptake of TB preventive therapy and poor treatment outcomes as key gaps contributing to delayed diagnosis, continued transmission and preventable deaths.

To address these challenges, the Committee recommended intensified community screening, contact tracing, treatment-adherence support and referrals to increase TB case detection and improve treatment outcomes.

Community Health Promoters were also urged to identify people with suspected TB, refer them to health facilities, monitor treatment adherence and support patients throughout treatment.

The Committee further pledged to sustain community education on Ebola prevention, harmful cultural practices, reproductive health and GBV, to promote early reporting, reduce stigma and link survivors and other affected individuals to appropriate medical, psychosocial and protection services.

To strengthen support for adolescents and young people, the meeting recommended establishing a mental health recovery safe space and integrating youth-friendly services, to improve access to accurate reproductive health information, counselling and clinical care.

The review brought together CMCC members and stakeholders from the health sector, National and County governments, communities and partner organisations, to examine data on HIV, TB, teenage pregnancies and GBV and agree on measures to improve prevention, treatment and community response.

By Beatrice Chepkirui